


Delightful Friendships

by ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy)



Series: Flufftober 2020 [12]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Background Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Celebrations, Drinking, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:42:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26972344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell
Summary: When a magic-depleted Magnus stains his shirt with wine, Maia comes to the rescue with a few mundane tricks up her sleeve.
Relationships: Magnus Bane & Maia Roberts
Series: Flufftober 2020 [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949836
Comments: 12
Kudos: 37





	Delightful Friendships

**Author's Note:**

> Flufftober Day 12: White

Maia wonders if she should cut Magnus off. She’s reluctant to, not only because he’s her best tipper and she could definitely use the extra cash this month, but because he insists that he’s fine, and not in that self-deprecating way that implies he knows he isn’t and doesn’t care. He seems happy enough, laughing and joking around with a few of her other regulars, just far tipsier than she’s ever seen him before. 

He’s also the most relaxed she’s ever seen him. Magnus’ voice is rising and falling animatedly with exaggerated gestures to accompany his stories. He even challenges one of the newer werewolves from her pack to a game of pool that he loses spectacularly after he jumps the cue ball over the edge of the table and directly into the lap of an older werewolf who, thankfully, is good-natured about the whole thing instead of using it as an excuse to pick a fight. 

She watches him for a while, keeping an eye out just in case, before deciding to pry a little bit when he asks for another bottle of wine. 

“Are we drinking for any special occasion today?” After bartending for this long Maia’s gotten pretty good at casual, leading questions to get answers when she wants to. 

“I helped an old friend finish perfecting a set of protection spells today that we’d been working on for… the better part of three decades, I believe,” Magnus says, beaming. He isn’t one to brag, not about the things that truly matter, but she’s heard enough rumors to know that this isn’t the first time he’s been involved in creating new magic. 

“Congratulations!” she offers. 

“Thank you, Maia. Sadly, Alexander has a late patrol and Catarina is at the clinic tonight, so I’m celebrating by myself until they’re free,” Magnus continues. And yes, that makes sense for the strange combination of his good mood and lack of company.

“Well, you’re not by yourself when you’re here,” she points out, grabbing a glass from behind the bar and pouring herself a shot, raising it to cheers Magnus with. They do this two more times before Magnus moves his glass, which is a bit too full, back towards himself too quickly, spilling the dark red liquid over the edge and onto the white shirt he’s wearing. 

Magnus curses. 

“I suppose my outfit needed a bit more color anyway?” Magnus jokes but still looks upset despite the deflection. 

“Can’t you just-” Maia starts, then trails off making little swirling motions with her hands. 

Magnus rolls his eyes. “You’ve been spending too much time with Biscuit,” he says. “I do _not_ look like that.” 

Maia is about to point out that he sort of does when he continues. 

“And no, I can’t just use magic because I depleted most of it finishing that spell earlier. The portal back to New York was all I had left in me,” he admits, frowning at the effort it takes to not slur his words beyond recognition the longer he speaks. “...and perhaps the reason I’m a bit more drunk than intended, in retrospect.” 

Maia can tell that he’s embarrassed, as if inebriated patrons spilling drinks - on themselves or elsewhere - isn’t something she deals with on the daily. 

“Well then, let’s get that stain out the old-fashioned way,” Maia says, motioning for Magnus to follow her behind the counter of the bar, which he does without question. 

“Give me the shirt,” she says once they’re in the back office, holding a hand out expectantly. Magnus looks down at his shirt and then back up at her warily. 

“Please,” she says with a laugh. “As if half of New York hasn’t seen you at Pandemonium practically topless in those sheer shirts.” 

Magnus considers this for a moment. “Fair,” he admits, before taking off the stained shirt and handing it to her, crossing his arms over his now-bare chest. 

Maia takes it and clears a spot on the desk to spread it out, rusting around a shelf on the side of the room for a moment before coming back with a spray bottle and two white cloths. First, she blots out the worst of the excess liquid with one cloth before spraying what’s left with the mixture from the bottle. 

“Hydrogen peroxide and liquid soap,” she explains as she does it. “Works like magic,” she adds with a wink, using small motions with the second cloth to agitate the fabric and work out the wine. It takes a bit of work, some extra baking soda, and a second round of spray, before the only sign there was ever a stain is the damp spot left behind. 

“We have those fancy new hand-dryers in the bathroom if you want to try and dry it,” Maia suggests, handing the shirt back. “I’ve seen girls drying rain-soaked hair in there, so this wouldn’t be the weirdest thing they’ve been used for.” 

“You, my dear, are a _lifesaver_ ,” he says in awe, turning the shirt around in his hands like he can’t believe that actually worked. 

“I, my dear, am a _bartender_ ,” she corrects. “And getting drink stains out of my clothing is half of my job.” 

“Thank you,” he says anyway, tone full of sincerity. “I’m normally not this...” he struggles for a word, but Maia knows where this is going. 

“Magnus, don’t you dare apologize for relaxing and having a good time. Do you know how many belligerent Downworlders I have to kick out of here every week? You’re a _delight_ , trust me. And if anyone deserves a night off it’s you.” 

It’s nice to see Magnus comfortable enough to let his guard down around her, to be able to make jokes about things and put each other at ease, to be in a position to offer a bit of help in what little ways she can, whether it’s getting a stain out of a shirt or making sure he knows she’s always got his back. 

Magnus considers her for a second, and nods. “I can’t argue that,” he says finally. “I _am_ a delight.” 

They both share a look for a moment before they’re bursting into laughter. Magnus heads straight for the bathroom to use the hand dryer after they leave the office and Alec arrives shortly after, giving Maia a questioning look when he doesn’t see Magnus anywhere. 

“Little warlock’s room,” she says, nodding towards the back and sliding a drink across the bar to Alec. “You’ve got some celebrating to catch up on.” 

“Hope I didn’t miss too much fun,” Alec says, just as Magnus makes his way back to the bar greets him with a kiss. 

“Not at all. Right, Maia?” Magnus says, giving Maia a wink over Alec’s shoulder and bringing his finger up to his lips in a ‘shh’ motion. 

Maia returns the wink before Alec turns around to face her. “Right.” 

**Author's Note:**

> (Find me on [Tumblr](http://bytheangell.tumblr.com) and also on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/By_The_Angell)! <3 )


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